A harmony upon the the three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentary…A harmonie vpon the the three Euangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentarie…

44 How can you? Because it might seem to be an hard matter that those who had been the household scholars of the law and the prophets from their childhood, should be condemned of so gross ignorance, and made the enemies of the truth, yea it might seem to be an uncredible thing, Christ telleth them what it is that letteth them to believe: namely, because ambition did take away their soundness of mind. For he ⟨p. 131⟩speaketh properly unto the Priests and Scribes, who were so puffed up with pride, that they could not submit themselves unto God. This is a most excellent place, which teacheth that the gate of faith is shut against all those, whose minds are possessed with a vain desire of earthly glory. For he that will be some body in the world, must needs wander and vanish away, so that he cannot go forward unto God. A man doth then prepare himself unto the obedience of the heavenly doctrine when he thinketh that he ought to seek this especially during his whole life, that he approve him self unto God, But that perverse confidence whereby hypocrites do extol themselves before god, seemeth to be a greater let then is worldly ambition: and we know that the Scribes were sore sick also of that disease. We may easily answer: for Christ his meaning was to pluck from their faces the false visor of holiness wherewith they deceived the ignorant people. Therefore he doth as it were with his finger point out the grosser vice, whereby all men might perceive that they were nothing less then that which they would be accounted to be. Again, although hypocrisy do boast it self against God: yet is it always ambitious in the world and before men. Yea this is the only vanity which puffeth us up, even wicked confidence, whilst that we stand rather to our own and the judgement of other men, then of God. For he that doth truly set God before him as a judge, he must needs fall down flat, being discouraged and thrown down. Therefore he that will seek glory of God alone must needs being confounded with the shame of himself, fly unto his free mercy. And truly those that have respect unto God, do see themselves to be condemned and lost, and that there remaineth nothing whereof they may boast, besides the grace of Christ: such desire of glory shall always be joined with humility.

44 How can you? Because it might seeme to be an hard matter that those who had been the houshold schollers of the law and the prophets from their childhood, should be condemned of so grosse ignorance, and made the enemies of the truth, yea it might seeme to be an vncredible thing, Christ telleth them what it is that letteth them to beleeue: namely, because ambition did take away their soundnesse of minde. For he